Background*

Dr. Vishakha N. Desai served as the Chief Executive Officer at Asia Society until September 30, 2012 and President from July 2004 to September 30, 2012. Dr. Desai was responsible for managing an international organization with offices throughout the U.S. and Asia. She set the direction for Asia Society’s programs in the diverse fields of arts, culture, policy, business and education, overseeing a budget of $22 million. Since 1990, she served at Asia Society in various ... leadership capacities. She was responsible for the management of Asia Society’s $40 million renovation of its New York City headquarters and for its 2001 inaugural season. She serves as President Emeritus of Asia Society. She is at the forefront of integrating Asian American issues into Asia Society’s public programs. She has been an Independent Director of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., since May 30, 2012. She serves as a Board of Director of The Bertelsmann Foundation. Dr. Desai serves as a Trustee of The Brookings Institution. She served as a Trustee of Asia Society. She was an Advisor and Juror for numerous international projects on contemporary art, including the Venice Biennale in 2003. She was President of the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD) since 1998 until 1999. She was Senior Vice President of the Museum and Cultural Programs. Dr. Desai was Curator of Indian, Southeast Asian and Islamic art at The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, where she was Head of Public Programs and Academic Affairs. She serves on the boards of Citizens for NYC, and the New York City Advisory Commission for Cultural Affairs. She was a Director of the Museum and Cultural Programs. She served on the Board of AAMD from 1995 to 2000. She was a Director of Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Inc., LEAP (Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics), the South Asian Council of the Association of Asian Studies, the College Art Association, ArtTable, and the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities. A regular Commentator in the news media, she frequently addresses business and foreign policy audiences on topics ranging from the evolution of U.S. engagement in Asia to the role of culture in changing Asian societies. She has lectured extensively in the U.S. and in Asia. She has also taught at the University of Massachusetts, Boston University and Columbia University. A scholar of classical Indian art, Dr. Desai has built an international reputation for introducing contemporary Asian art to a broad audience and using it to illuminate historical trends and influence on the development of today’s society. She is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Asian Americans for Equality 2004 Asian American of the Year Award and the National Institute of Social Sciences Gold Medal. Dr. Desai has published widely on traditional Indian art and on issues in contemporary Asian art. She is the recipient of numerous grants and fellowships. Dr. Desai has B.A. in Political Science from Bombay University and MA and Ph.D in Asian Art History from the University of Michigan. In 1996, Susquehanna University awarded her an Honorary Doctorate in Arts in 1996.

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